Girish Mahajan (Editor)

Typhlops obtusus

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Kingdom
  
Animalia

Subphylum
  
Vertebrata

Order
  
Squamata

Scientific name
  
Typhlops obtusus

Phylum
  
Chordata

Class
  
Reptilia

Suborder
  
Serpentes

Rank
  
Species

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Typhlops obtusus, commonly known as the slender blind snake, is a species of snake in the Typhlopidae family. It is endemic to Africa.

Contents

Geographic range

It is found in southern Malawi, northern Mozambique, and extreme eastern Zimbabwe.

Description

Dorsally, it is dark brown, with the base of each scale paler. Ventrally, it is pale brown to cream-colored. Maximum snout-vent length (SVL) is 37 cm (14 12 in). The scales are arranged in 24 or 26 rows around the body, and there are more than 300 scales in the vertebral row.

Snout very prominent, rounded. Nostrils located inferiorly (ventrally). Rostral large, more than half as broad as the head; portion of rostral visible from below as long as broad. Nasal semidivided, the cleft proceeding from the first upper labial. Preocular much narrower than the nasal or the ocular, in contact with the second and third upper labials. Four upper labials. Eyes not distinguishable. Prefrontals and supraoculars broad. Diameter of body 43 to 50 times in the total length. Tail broader than long, ending in a spine.

Habitat

This species prefers loose humic soil in forests.

References

Typhlops obtusus Wikipedia